By ANDREW SKWARA
For Brentwood Home Page
ANTIOCH – Ravenwood doesn't just have its first winning streak. It also has a road win and the proof they can now pull off a comeback too.
Trailing 7-0, the Raptors ripped off 17 unanswered points in less than seven minutes at Cane Ridge Friday night. They never trailed again and held on for a 24-21 triumph and their second straight win.
The timing couldn't be better as Ravenwood (2-1) heads to arch rival Brentwood for the annual “Battle of the Woods” this week.
“We executed and that's why we didn't lose. We are trying to have a winning season. Now we are bringing a steam of heat to Brentwood,” Ravenwood running back Omar Joseph said. “We remember what happened last year (Brentwood won 28-7 at Ravenwood) and we want revenge.”
The comeback started with the strong leg of Thomas Dawson. After a 53-yard touchdown pass put Cane Ridge (1-3) up 7-0 in the second quarter, the ensuing drive stalled at the Cane Ridge 30-yard line when Connor Dunn couldn't hold on to a Andrew Radford pass.
Instead of trying to convert a 4th-and-5, Ravenwood elected to try a deep field goal and Dawson booted a 47-yard kick on line and well past the uprights to put the Raptors on the scoreboard with 7:40 left in the half.
“Anytime we cross the 50-yard line my mind is shifting toward a field goal because (Dawson) has got a strong leg,” Ravenwood coach Joe Rietveld said. “If we can protect him I think he can kick even longer.”
Three plays later, the Ravenwood defense forced a fumble and Hunter Dickerson recovered it to give the Raptors the ball at the Cane Ridge 21-yard line. After six straight running plays, Ryan Butler scored on a 4th-and-goal from the 1-yard line. Dawson's extra point put the Raptors up 10-7.
On its next drive, Ravenwood found quick pay dirt via the air as Radford connected with Jaylen McGriff on a short pass over the middle. McGriff weaved his way around defenders and into the end zone and the Raptors grabbed a 17-7 lead with 1:30 left in the half.
In the fourth quarter, the Raptors put together a clutch drive that ended with Butler scoring his second touchdown on a 2-yard run which gave the Raptors a 24-14 advantage with 8:47 to go.
Cane Ridge scored a touchdown in the final minute and a two-point conversion cut the deficit to 24-21, but when Vincent Swann caught an onside kick the outcome was sealed.
“I knew they weren't done. They had a lot of fight left in them. But this week we did punch it in to seal the deal. (Butler's second touchdown run) was a big swing for us,” said Rietveld, whose Raptors beat Hillsboro 22-9 in their home opener last week.
“This was a big victory on the road. (Cane Ridge) is a good football team. They are physical and very athletic on the edges and we knew that could give us trouble. But, we kept working. We kept competing. We are better than we were.”
Ravenwood had solid success on the ground regardless of who was running the ball. The powerful Butler (16 carries for 62 yards), shifty Joseph (11 carries for 44 yards) and versatile Radford (eight carries for 38 yards), who was making his second start, combined for 144 rushing yards.
“We had excellent blocking and we made plays,” Joseph said with a wide smile. “That's what we do.”
The Ravenwood defense, which only gave up two scores, got a solid group effort, with multiple defenders often combining to make stops. Anthony Jones led the way with team-high eight tackles (including a sack) and Grant Jones and Swann both had five apiece. Adarius Davis, Logan Nichelson and Dickerson each had a sack too.
Cane Ridge got a defensive touchdown when Kam Hurt intercepted a screen pass and made a 16-yard return across the goal line in the third quarter to cut Ravenwood's lead to 17-13. The Raptors also had two fumbles and lost one.
Avoiding such self-inflicted mistakes will be pivotal when Ravenwood travels to Brentwood next Friday for what may be their biggest game of the year.
“We are improving. We are not where we need to be yet, but I think the things that need to be corrected can be corrected pretty easily, like not jumping off sides and keeping our hands to ourselves,” Rietveld said. “I think we've got to gear down emotionally because it's such a rivalry game. Since April 1 when I got hired I've been hearing how big this game was. It's going to be a huge game. But our focus has to be on practice and not on Brentwood.”
Ravenwood 0 17 0 7 -- 24
Cane Ridge 0 7 6 8 -- 21
2nd quarter
CR – Davis to Williams 53 yd pass (Johnson kick) 11:40
RHS – Dawson 47 yd FG 7:43
RHS – Butler 1 yd run (Dawson kick) 3:14
RHS – Dawson to McGriff 24 yd pass (Dawson kick) 1:30
3rd quarter
CR – Hunt 16 yd INT return (missed kick) 4:01
4th quarter
RHS – Butler 2 yd run (Dawson kick) 8:47
CR – Davis 1 yd run (Greer run for conversion) :41
RHS CR
9 FIRST DOWNS 8
35-144 RUSHES-YARDS 36-99
6-11-2 COMP-ATT-INT 6-15-0
85 PASSING YARDS 52
229 TOTAL YARDS 151
2-1 FUMBLES-LOST 3-1
7-45 PENALTIES-YARDS 2-30
4-32 SACKED BY-YARDS 0-0
Ravenwood
PASSING COMP ATT YDS TDS INTS
Radford, Andrew 6 11 85 1 2
RUSHING ATT YDS TD LG
Butler, Ryan 16 62 2 10
Joseph, Omar 11 44 0 11
Radford, Andrew 8 38 0 11
RECEIVING REC YDS TD LG
Dunn, Connor 2 30 0 24
Hill, Tevin 1 24 0 24
McGriff, Jaylen 1 24 1 24
Matich, River 1 6 0 6
Carter, Cameron 1 1 0 1
SACKS: Anthony Jones, Hunter Dickerson, Adarius Davis, Logan Nichelson.
FUMBLE RECOVERIES: Hunter Dickerson
TACKLES: Jones, Anthony 8; Swann, Vincent 5; Jones, Grant 5; Dickerson, Hunter 3; Layne, Johnathon 3; Sisk, Claybrook 3; Brown, Cam 2; Davis, Adarius 2; Hailey, Bryant 2; Kay, Anderson 1; Blackburn, Alex 1; Nichelson, Logan 1; Carter, Max 1; Jordan, Brandon 1; Lowell, Tyler 1; Facer, Jared; 1; Joseph, Omar 1
KICKOFF RETURNS No. Yds TD Lg
Jordan, Brandon 2 20 0 12
Swann, Vincent 1 0 0 0
PUNT RETURNS No. Yds TD Lg
Jordan, Brandon 1 0 0 0
McGriff, Jaylen 2 -8 0 -3
PUNTING No. Yds Avg Lg
Giangreco, Michael 4 133 33.3 37